This document discusses PGE's proposal to expand natural gas generation at its Carty plant near Boardman, Oregon and how it relates to Oregon's climate goals. It notes that adding two new natural gas units would significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions, even more so when accounting for upstream methane leaks. Oregon's climate policy commitments and goals would not be met if the Carty expansion moves forward given the massive methane pollution. Activists plan to intervene and provide the PUC with new methane information and climate science to justify stronger rules that prevent increased long-term methane usage and ensure Oregon's climate targets are achieved.

1. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Climate Science Appendix
Ap – Carty and Oregon

2. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Carty Natural Gas Plant and Oregon Climate Goals
PGE is proposing expansion of natural gas generation at the
Carty Generation site near Boardman
• The 600MW Boardman Coal Plant is done with coal in
2020
• Carty Natural Gas Unit #1 is now on line at 440MW
• PGE proposed 3 renewable energy generation options
• A 4th option proposes two new Carty natural gas units:
• Unit #2 serves base load at 530MW
• Unit #3 serves peak loads at 330MW
• When adding the effects of upstream leaks in natural gas logistics supply chain, natural gas
pollution is worse than coal

3. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Start with known CO2 produced, compute CH4 needed to do so.
To produce one molecule of CO2, one molecule of CH4 is
burned.
Boardman Coal
Carty NG Unit 3
600 MW
3,920,000 m tons CO2
440 MW
1,437,000 m tons CO2CH4
50% CO2 for CH4 vs. coal
CH4
CH4
(530 / 600 ) x
16 / 44= 84 X 5% X
2,194,000 CO2e
Carty NG Unit 2
Carty NG Unit 1
530 MW
330 MW
1,731,000 m tons CO2
1,078,000 m tons CO2
2,644,000 CO2e
1,646,000 CO2e
Carty Natural Gas Plant and Oregon Climate Goals
50%
2,644,000 CO2e + 1,731,000 m tons CO2 = 4,375,000 m tons CO2e
Carty NG Unit 2 adds up
to:

4. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Oregon’s climate policy commitments
• Oregon committed to supporting the Clean Power Plan
• Clean Energy to Coal Transition Act, SB 1547
• Oregon’s 2015 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory computes
methane CO2e as 28x CO2, not 84x CO2
This factor of 3x has serious effects when used to revise
Oregon’s GHG inventory
Carty Natural Gas Plant and Oregon Climate Goals

5. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
What happened:
• PGE requested ODOE to amend the Carty Generation
certificate to include Units 2 and 3.
• Public comments were solicited in early Oct, closed
retroactively around 28 October.
• Today’s numbers say it’s a bad investment, no better than coal.
Then PGE opened a comment period on their Integrated
Resource Plan (IRP) that included Carty expansion planning,
termed as “due diligence” in the IRP.
Carty Natural Gas Plant and Oregon Climate Goals

6. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Carty tests: Can Numbers Help Activists?
Oregon Sierra Club criticized the IRP
• Incomplete planning process that excluded stakeholders (rate-payer,
investor, and civic input)
PGE proceeded with taking a Carty expansion proposal to the
Oregon PUC. Activists will explain to PUC as interveners.

Massive CH4 pollution due to existing Carty gas plant, plus what would
come with prospective Carty Units.
• New CH4 information and new climate urgency suggests stronger PUC
CO2e criteria should be produced.
• 10-year-old rule came from PUC modified through litigation
• New rule could come from PUC or Legislature, extension of SB 1547
Absent resolution, existing numbers based on best available
science would justify a motivation for activist direct action.

7. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Extend Oregon’s good start on climate policy commitments
• Oregon committed to supporting the Clean Power Plan
https://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/content/state_momentum_4.27.16.pdf
• Coal to Clean Energy Transition Act, HB 1547B
• Outlaw fugitive methane by wire, citing bipartisan, current science
numbers for impact of methane life cycle on Oregon’s climate goals, as
new extension of HB 1547B to prevent huge growth in long-term methane
usage.
• Oregon Goals are not being met and cannot be met with PGE fossil gas
planning
Carty Natural Gas Plant and Oregon Climate Goals

8. Methane Climate Task Force 16 Jan 2017
Can Activists with Numbers Help OGWC et. al.?
Given the following targets
Base-year Attainment "By" date
NA Arrest growth of GHG emissions, begin reductions 2010
1990 Target GHG reduction below 10% of base-year 2020
2012 Cut methane emissions to 60% of base-year 2025
NA No imports of coal-by-wire, HB 1547B 2035
NA 50% Renewable energy 2040
1990 Target GHG reduction below 75% of base-year 2050
• Explain best available climate science accounting
• Cite impacts of accurately accounting for fugitive methane
• Oregon currently using GWP100 = 28, under-reporting
CH4 adverse impacts on near term climate goals
• Upstream CH4 releases not being reported or counted